G. Love And Special Sauce

The special sauce is just ketchup and mayo mixed together.

this is like if "guy who brings guitar to a party" was an entire band

Not very good 90s music. A must-listen to understand how mediocre some music can be.

I can enjoy 1-2 songs, listen to 4-5 of them, but by 6 I'm ready to drive off an overpass.

I feel like if you were heavy into this guy, you might also be curious about bath salts?

We’re on over 175 albums, and I keep going back to the title of this project. 1001 albums to listen to… before I die? THIS is an album I need to listen to? Before I die???? Didn’t like. I think there are better bands that do some of this. Give me any early Dispatch song, any record on any album, over this. This just feels like what is playing in a random coffee shop in Cambridge 20 years ago. I could tolerate it in that environment, but that’s as far as your gonna get me onboard. I found it monotonous and kind of tiresome. It does feel very adjacent to things I like, as a Vermonter. But that doesn’t make me like it. 2/5

What trying too hard to be cool sounded like in the 90’s

I had never heard of this before, but my hopes were not high for this eponymously titled 90s white boy hip hop album by G. Love and Special Sauce. However, I should not judge an album by it's cover, nor its awful artist name, nor its generally questionable genre. This is reminiscent of music by Dirty Projectors with vocals by the Hiphopopotamus vs. the Rhymenoceros, and is really quite good (at least for the first 40 minutes or so). Cool, jazz infused, music with a great double bass sounding baselines, and easy enough vocals. At an hour long it could have done with losing the final third, which started to be a bit of a slog, but overall, I'm pleasantly surprised. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Blues Music Date listened: 08/07/23

Not nipping this shite in the bud is the reason we have Cage the Elephant. Don’t let white people try jazz

G. LOVE!!!!!!!!!! I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the app and saw this album. Every party I went to from the mid 90s to the early aughts, this album was played at some point. Doesn’t matter where, Center City, University City, South Philly, the Great Northeast, and the burbs. I can’t believe this album is on this list. I’m breaking my 5 star rule. It’s supposed to be 5 stars go to the greatest albums of all time. I don’t know how many I will hand out but I gotta imagine it’ll be less than 10% Maybe around 5%, I dunno. This is not one of the greatest albums of all times. But it’s one of the most fun. It takes me back to a great time in my life. It’s getting 5 stars. I love me some G Love and Special Sauce. I can’t believe this is is on here.

Never heard of this guy, but, despite a couple of duff tracks, I really like his scrappy, laid-back sound. Beck without the weirdness, or Fun Lovin' Criminals without the cringe, or Beastie Boys without the boyish aggression.

This band manages something impressive: it takes a bunch of musical elements that I love, blends them, and creates something abominable. Good job.

This is the worst kind of white boy college music.

just the worst

Ah here's a band that I've heard so many references to, but have never actually heard a song from. Based on festival attendance, they run in a similar circle to the jam / indie bands that I like. The Things That I Used To Do opens up with a Cage the Elephant style spoke word snarl (understanding that these guys are predecessors). Super crunchy texture that I like out of the gate. Satisfying drum line with an equally comfortable bassline. Not something that would be single territory, but a low-key jam fit for a college house party. Blues Music takes over with a similar spoken word style through a reducer on top of a lazy drum and bass line. Creates a very chilled out atmosphere. Good music for munching Doritos. Garbage Man brings a little more attitude to the mix. This is about as head-bobbing as this album has gotten so far. I'm once again stricken by how similar this feels to Cage The Elephant. Digging the atmosphere. This would probably make for an awesome show song. Eyes Have Miles is a noodly number that stays in the same atmosphere. Instrumental is reminiscent of some less bright jazz / surf rock (mei ehara, robohands). Baby's Got Sauce flips into some bright guitar strokes and the most didactic vocals of the album so far. This is music tailor made for a middle of the day backyard summer kegger. I'm a little surprised this is the most popular song according to Spotify. Its a fine tune, but I actually prefer their more laid back songs so far. The chorus is kind of rough IMO. Rhyme for the Summertime is more effective IMO. It taps into the snare-tap drum beat paired with a surfy guitar tone that while brighter than most songs is still disappointed (minor) sounding. Feels similar to Mac Demarco a la This Old Dog. Cold Beverage is another head bobbing jam. Guaranteed crowd favorite that I'm sure helps to boost bar tabs. Simple concept, but honestly it works on the rawness of it all. Fatman follows this on with a fun little jam that lets things open up with a harmonica riff. Ends with some loose guitar noodling that segues into more reserved This Ain't Living. This Ain't Living feels like a more typical rock structure out of the gate; very effectively done. Walk To Slide is another standout in my mind. Love the lugubrious bassline that keeps things flowing / sliding all the way through. The echo on top of the sparkly guitar is a nice effect as well. This and Garbage Man are my favorites so far. Some Peoples Like That and Town To Town are both way down tempo crawls. Heavy blues influences shining through both. I enjoy both songs for what they are. Album finishes out with a traditional stripped down blues song with sparse acoustic guitar and hand clap making up the composition. This is a really pretty song and so far from where the rest of the album has been. I really enjoyed this album and see the appeal of G. Love. This is a rough and crunchy album that shows a decent amount of range, from the spoken word, almost rap like deliveries to traditional blues. Many of the songs sound like they are made for backyard barbeques or smoking a joint and watching cars drive by. I will absolutely come back for another listen. 4 leaning towards 5 / 5.

This dude wants to be black sooooo bad.

This was not good. Seems like it might be slightly responsible for so much bad white rap music. What a mess.

I FUCKING LOVE RIMSHOTS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣 God damn this album is fucking cool. The blues/rap fusion is genius and I'm shocked it didn't become the standard. It's a match made in heaven

So 90s but in the best way. This album does "sloppy" better than nearly anyone. It doesn't feel lazy, it feels incredibly intentional. So many slacker anthems here.

I like the sloppy, kind of jazzy hip hop feel of the band. The vocal delivery is pretty unique, like someone free styling while coming out of anesthesia, very laid back but kinda mumbled and somewhat hard to understand.

I heard rumors about how bad this was back in 1994, so have actively avoided it until today. It really takes some cursed skill to make Fun Lovin' Criminals sound inspired. Every track is somehow worse than the previous, and the chief slacker moron's voice gets exponentially more annoying throughout. The casual rap/funk/rock wanker market was well-supplied in the mid-90's, eh?

I actually love this album. I'm not sure it really counts as "hip hop" but it also doesn't fall cleanly into any genre - which is what makes it cool. It's simple, it's fun, it's well-executed. What's not to love?

Absolutely LOVED this - been listening to it now for days...

I had a roommate in '94 who brought this home. We liked Beck's Mellow Gold so this fit right into the soundtrack. Good memories listening to this album.

This album sounds like Rage Against the Machine if the rage was less about anger and more about just getting drunk and playing music with your buddies.

The bluesy pseudo hip hop from the early-mid 90s really works for me. This is like a stripped down Beck from his Mellow Gold era. Best track: Cold Beverage

Got a bit too samey too quickly for me.

There was a time in my life that I may have liked this more, but its not now

This is bad. Not interesting, time capsule of britpop sounds drowning in averageness. Playing is mid at best, songwriting bad, singing is shit. Then I found out what a pretentious prick luke haines is and had to downgrade from meh not good to fuck this. To have that much ambition and be so average makes you fucking awful and insufferable to boot. Boo

Make it stop.

Another curiosity. How does this warrant inclusion? It isn’t original, compelling or even competent

this is so far one of the few albums i've known nothing about - not the album itself, never heard of the artist, didn't recognize a single song. but this was such a vibe, i loved it so much. groovy as fuck, will be listening again

already heard it so many times

I'm surprised they didn't get more popular, because this is the White Stripes before the White Stripes.

At this stage of the 1001 if we get more hip hop it better be alt. This one is and is enjoyable even as background music which is how I listened to it

Fun for about 15 minutes and then it just keeps going

Not the biggest of fans but mostly enjoyed this.

Beck at a South Philly Frat House - nothing much else to it

I have no idea what the balls this is. Based on the name, is it rap or dance? Fun Lovin Criminals vibes from the artwork. But I have never heard of these guys, and neither have you. After listening I can confirm that I never heard any of this before. I can also confirm that there were a hundred bands in the 90s who sounded like this - white guys rapping while sounding like they're dealing with a hernia, or trying to curl out a particularly vicious dump. It's Rage Against The Machine without the Rage, Fun Lovin Criminals without the fun, songs without music. There's zero reason this should be on the list given how derivative it is and considering that other groups did it better. That said, you could pick any single one of these songs and tap your toe while staring wistfully out at the sea as the dying embers of your spliff fall away, echoing the dying embers of your musical taste. Sorry, Garry Love, but James from Twin Peaks is much cooler than you.

cringe compilation :/

What? What even is this? Come on list, you're better than this. You're gonna include a dime-a-dozen 90s hip hop/rock record that almost no one remembers? Why not Sublime if you're gonna do this? I find it hard to believe that anyone in the world thinks this album is necessary to hear before death. Honestly, this is pretty close to my lowest opinion on any record on the list so far. Maybe I'm just having a bad day, but come on. There are just way too many better albums in the world.

I just can't with this guy. Mediocre '90s white boy shit. It's 58 minutes? Somebody thought I needed to listen to this before I die?

A surprise and a damn welcome one

NYC Jack White

Wow! I absolutely loved this one, Dr John/Beastie boys/ Red hot chilli peppers/ Dylan, blues, hip hop, funk, jazz Right up my street, I’ll buy this - stand out track “ Garbage man”

I liked this album. It was pretty standard rock but with some heavier and metal elements that made it cooler to me. I thought the vocals and instrumentals played equal roles in creating the overall sound and essence. I also appreciate that each track was unique and not very repetitive. I was not expecting a track like Battlestar Scralatchtica, but I think it’s a great addition to showcase the musicianship of the group and demonstrate their abilities across genres.

Love this. It's great Sunday pottering music, has some great drumming too

Muy bueno la verdá, e como Reynosa, pero sin la e y sin la a, si eso tiene sentido.

The best, loosest, grooviest stuff.

Hoooooly Jesus I G. Loved the crap out of this. Apparently I'm in the minority here but gah damn this dude can groove. I get that it's kind of "lazy" feeling, but I think it contributes to an aesthetic that really works for me. Rebel Without A Cause type beat. As a big Beck fan, this is kind of giving a more musically-inclined Beck. What's not to love. I will say, the album ever so slightly overstays its welcome and those last two songs aren't the greatest thing since sliced bread; but who cares. I dig the special sauce. Indeed I do.

This album is probably best played in a noisy coffee shop where it lends its sound to the atmosphere but isn’t listened to on a deep level. I don’t particularly hate it but, man, I don’t particularly like it either.

For some reason, listening to THIS specific album has made me realize that there are NOT 1,001 albums that ANYONE must hear before we die. There might be 100 such albums. Maybe up to 200? The rest is all just someone's personal preference or albums that they have enjoyed listening to at some point in their life. There's nothing wrong here. Nothing all that overwhelmingly wonderful either. It wasn't a bad way to spend the better part of an hour. But would my life have been any different if I had never heard it? Nah.

Kinda fun but a bit annoying

I just...I'm very tired of this "laid-back" sound being considered "good."

G Love & Special Sauce A couple of American friends I had in Japan were really into this band, but I never listened to them - mainly on the basis of the name and their description of them. Listening now, with that in mind, I was a little trepidatious, but it was much better than I was expecting, even if, ultimately, I wasn’t that sold on it. I don’t think I like his sing-rapping, more from the put on slurriness than the rapping, and there is a touch of Kings of Leon to his vocal tone, but also a touch of much easier to listen to Jon Spencer Blues Explosion with a much looser, blusier feel. That looseness is probably the best thing about it, giving it a degree of sloppy charm. I suppose Fun Lovin’ Criminals would be another comparison, although FLC have a slightly more diverse set of influences and a bit more about them. It's pretty long too, at nearly an hour. 30-40 minutes would suit it much better, so many of the songs have a similar feel that it definitely drags from Walk to Slide onwards. This Ain't Living is the one true highlight, sharing a similarity with Concrete Schoolyard by J5, and that loping piano stands out against the rest of the guitar driven songs. It’s on the border of 2 and 3. I didn’t mind it at all, and it feels like a 3 on that basis, but realistically I don’t think I’ll actually remember it and think to listen to it again, so I’ll go 2. 🌭🌭🌭 Playlist submission: This Ain’t Living

[album #12] couldn’t really get myself into this one. fine i guess but just not for me. i will say that i had never heard of this band before today so at least i learned something new. 2/5 i guess, i didn’t hate it i just really wasn’t feeling this one

This one was rough to get through. The music is fine, I guess, but man, G. Love's mumbling gets old really quick. The album itself does get a little bit better as it goes along, although that shouldn't be hard, G. Love's cover of Guitar Slim's The Things That I Used to Do really started this album off on the wrong foot for me. There's no reason this needs to be an hour long. I'll admit, Baby's Got Sauce is fun, and I have good memories of Cold Beverage from American Dad!

I don't particularly enjoy Sublime, and this felt like a Sublime knock-off. I didn't think it was absolutely terrible, but it definitely wasn't for me.

I found this immediately unappealing, the "white-guy with soul" trope in music is really hard to overcome the immediate cringe factor, and this just gave me the ick. I guess to each their own, and I don't know much about G Love & Special Sauce's background, but I feel like this is similar to the Black Keys - it might have been notable at the time (although the Wikipedia is pretty scant), but is it really that important? The overall sound was done better by others (Sublime comes to mind), and this was just repetitive and uninteresting.

College-rock/rap. Happy Mother’s Day yawl. Anyway this album is pretty wack. I wish it wasn’t. It’s just that it’s this like really blasé, low effort bluesy alt-rock, and the vocalist is sooooooo uninteresting. Just this dubiously Ebonic white guy spitting nothing bars about nothing. Flow’s awful. Not much stands out. Sounds like Jack Johnson. Or Jason Mraz. Which is exactly what you don’t want to sound like, mid-aughts adult alternative. But hey, even though it kinda sucks, at least it’s not super long, right? RIIIIGHT? I can’t with this project man. I’m sorry. 4.7/10

They are desperately trying to pull some jedi mind trick to convince you this is cool and authentic 2*

In no way good but not the worst I got from this list so far. But again, why is such an album on this list? Did the author too much drugs to come up with actual records that someone should have listened to before dying? 2/5 but only because I got much worse before.

This felt like the missing link between Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Odelay to me. Unfortunately, it largely felt like my least favorite parts between these two albums. Not without merit, but not for me.

nothing special about this sauce .very M.O R. vibe don't know what it wants to be...🤔

About 30mins into the album I noticed I accidentally enabled shuffle, so there goes the 'album experience'. Show me any individual song on it's own and I say yeah, this is fine. But listening to more than 4 is just too much. I didn't finish the album.

It’s just not good. I don’t know what else to say.

i CANT call it bad cuz its not i just dont rlly liked it

This album feels a bit like having a full conversation with someone at a party, you are constantly looking for a way to get out of it and listen to something more interesting.

Have managed to nearly get to 50 without hearing or knowing about this album. Terrible name and pretty terrible album. Probably just scraps a 2 as not quite an ear bleeder. Maybe if I knew more about them I would dislike them more.

It was good, though I'm not sure what about it is so great? I don't really ever want to listen to it again, really.

Jizz Love is adorably awful, zeitgeist successfully captured! What do you think, S Hugs? And what are *you* sticking in the fridge? Best, M Ass

Never heared of them before. Here and then some nice tunes but in total nothing to convince me. Especially the vocals are not my favour.

Ik erger mij kapot aan deze jongen en zulke types in het algemeen. Namaak swag van het ergste soort. Tekstueel is erg dom. Een belediging van alle muziekstijlen die hij probeert te combineren.

Moeilijk album om doorheen te komen, en dat heeft eigenlijk alles te maken met de zanger. Het is natuurlijk altijd te prijzen wanneer je je laat beïnvloeden door verschillende muziekgenres, maar daarbij bestaat ook de kans dat je de plank volledig misslaat. Deze gast slaat compleet door in zijn laid-back delivery: half rappend, half pratend met een soort gare swag waar ik slecht tegen kan. Ik kreeg er nogal Atlanta-vibes van, als je begrijpt wat ik bedoel. En dan duurt dat ook nog eens een uur lang. Ook een minpunt voor de mondharmonica. Ik vind dat over het algemeen al een vrij irritant instrument, uitzonderingen daargelaten, maar hier helpt het niet mee. Dan toch nog één positief ding: de drumsound is wel echt lekker.

Blandness can't be great.

half decent jam band absolutely ruined by that one really annoying white guy you know who swears he can freestyle. ungodly terrible i was begging for it to end by like track 2 this is so bad omg. genuinely offensive to my ears

A lot of people complain about Trout Mask Replica being on this list. More people should complain about this slop. This is truly one of the worst things I've ever heard. Did we need an album full of some white guy wrapping over blues rifs? No, we did not. This is a truly awful record.

First off, this may be the worst band name on this entire list. Second, the vocals feel so affectatious - he's trying SO HARD to sound like he isn't trying or he's got a speech impediment. Finally, it's gives me the feeling that this album was the soundtrack to hundreds of mid-90's frat house sexual assaults. Best Tracks: Baby's Got Sauce; Rhyme for the Summertime; Cold Beverage

Sounds like the bastard love child of Beck, Sublime, and Beastie Boys.

Couldn’t get through this, awful

Half-assed, uninteresting blues with a huge amount of cultural appropriation injected into it. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Wow. This sounds so much like Soul Coughing. But not as good. Made me go back and listen to that band.

Fuck

Remind me why I listened to this again? I missed it when it was released and I won't miss it now it's gone again. I don't think it has aged well.

Never heard of this lot. But had a sneak listen. Hip hop rap blues (a musical Frankenstein monster?) was never going to rattle my musical taste cage and at my stage of musical appreciation listening I’m not prepared to give it a second listen or thought. Wish it had never come into my life however brief. 1/5 14/3/26

Why is he talking like that. Zero

White boy spits worst bars ever, asked to leave blues night at the Applebees

"What if The Fun Loving Criminals were on quaaludes?"

Has all the things I hate about Beck with none of the things I like about Beck. Soul Coughing did this style better, with more humor and less cringe.

Man, this was annoying. I used to associate G Love with everything I hated about the puka shell Hollister preppy types who were so annoying in HS. At first, I thought/worried I was just being a hater, and that I was primed to not like this from subconsciously hanging on to those associations. But despite my best efforts to listen with fresh ears, this album is kind of a perfect collection of the musical quirks that annoy me the most - that vocal affectation that white guys do when they're trying a hip hop/dub accent and ends up just sounding like they have a mouth full of peanut butter (number 1 most annoying FWIW), sloppy loose jams, bad improvised guitar solos/playing, long songs that go nowhere, etc. Initially, I got lulled into thinking it was more dull than terrible, but by the time I got to "Shooting Hoops", I was thoroughly irritated. Sounds like Gen-X dads doing some unholy mix of a Grateful Dead/Beastie Boys/Dave Matthews jam at a block party, and I was ready for it to end.

If you wanted to stereotype early 90s, American college life, this would be your soundtrack. Overly self-important and not a standout song. Boring and as annoying as Dave Matthews.

and this is on the list because……..?

Problem. I found this so unbelievably boring that sitting here trying to write anything about it 7 hours later is proving difficult. I genuinely remember pretty much nothing about it, I literally forgot it as I was listening.

This just got worse and worse the longer it went on. They try so hard and completely fail to blend genres that just don't belong together, and it just makes the whole experience a complete mess.

Music wasn’t completely terrible, but lost points for having the stupidest fucking name I’ve ever heard. McDipshit and the Jizz would’ve been better. It makes me sick.

God this is boring. Nothing but a guitar and an hour of singing by one of the least engaging singers of this entire list. One or two songs on here were maybe fine, but the rest of it was all a borefest to get through. Headache and boredom inducing, couldn't wait for it to be over. Can't imagine the album had any real influence.

So I don’t really have anything bad to say, but I certainly don’t have anything good to say either. This was a fucking waste of an entry.

I remain confused as to why my sophomore year roommate listened to this album on repeat.

Desperately trying to sound cool but failing miserably. How did this make the book but Check Your Head was ignored. This project frustrates me sometimes.

Great album. Reminds me of Beck and Cake and bands like that. Kind of a hip hop delivery over indie rock music. Clever and entertaining songs.